By Georgina Clatworthy

Not everyone wants the full, traditional white wedding treatment and most brides certainly do not want to look like a giant chiffon meringue floating down the aisle!  Whilst modern wedding dresses have come a long way from the hideous creations of the eighties, choosing an informal wedding dress can give the wearer a sense of style and sophistication without being over whelmed by it.

When you think about an informal wedding dress most will immediately jump to bridesmaid’s dresses or evening wear.  But this is not necessarily the only option.  Many bridal designers have realized that there is a growing trend for wedding dresses that do not conform to the fairy princess look and that modern brides want something feminine but chic, not too bridal but which still says ‘I am the bride’ to all onlookers.

Certainly evening wear and bridesmaid dresses can give you some fantastic options, but with the current trend for short wedding dresses sweeping the catwalks there are bridal options available too and which are well worth considering.  Vintage wedding dresses can also lend themselves to an informal style, particularly those from the fifties, sixties and seventies which were often simple but chic.

Bridal stores may not welcome you with open arms when you say you are looking for an informal wedding dress, in fact many will struggle with the whole concept and most will turn you away or try to fob you off with the destination collections or the bridesmaid’s gowns.  In fact brides heading off on a destination wedding were often treated in the same way, but now there are destination wedding dresses galore so it is only a matter of time before we see bigger collections of informal wedding dresses too.

Separates can give you the means to create your own unique look, but you will need to find a collection that gives you plenty of choice.  Half the battle is knowing what style you want or the look you want to achieve.  There is also a case for choosing a wedding dress which could be worn again on another occasion, but I do wonder how many brides who take this option actually do wear their dresses again.

Accessories can turn a plain and simple dress into something wow, so don’t be put off by many of the informal dresses you see.  Think creatively and consider how you could accessorize it to achieve the look you want.  Just because you dress is informal, doesn’t mean your accessories have to be, adding in some statement jewelry and pretty hair jewels can turn your look into sophisticated bridal rather than plain and uninspired!

Finally, your only option may be to have a dress made for you.  This is certainly one way to achieve the look you want and to create a unique wedding dress.  There are many ready made patterns available with both modern and vintage looks and if you find a seamstress who can make patterns as well, then you can combine the looks to achieve something unique and personal to you.